Winter Hoof Care 
Winter Hoof Care
Winter's mucky weather and poor quality grass can play havoc with a horse's hooves. The problems associated with muddy, waterlogged fields, lack of grass and frequent stabling should be tackled with a holistic approach.
Firstly, hooves need to be kept in top condition with regular trimming and/or shoeing by a registered farrier. This is a basic essential for every horse. Form and maintain a good relationship with your farrier and ask for product or care advice over the winter if you spot any trouble areas such as cracks, soft hooves or smelly frogs. A good farrier will get you and your horse over many hurdles together.
A good diet is paramount at all times of year but especially in winter, when the grass quality is poor and horses need some extra attention to help them cope with muddy, boggy fields and regular stabling. Feed supplements can be added to a horse's daily feed to encourage good strong, healthy hoof growth. This will reduce the chance of cracks and hoof breakage. A good all-round supplement or special addition for hooves or the immune system will stand the horse in good stead to fight off any ailments such as mud fever, white line disease or thrush, all of which can thrive in winter conditions.
It is also important to give careful consideration to your turn out and/or stabling routine. Most horses seem to gather in the gateways of fields - which of course tend to be the boggiest areas - and this is where they usually suffer the most, with almost permanently wet hooves and muddy fetlocks. If your horse is prone to mud fever or already suffers from it, putting down some hardcore in the gateways can help. If that's not possible, simple straw will go some way towards absorbing the wet. Stabling can also cause problems if bedding is left too wet, so make sure that the bed is skipped out at least daily with the wet being removed as well as muck. This is because the ammonia in urine is a terrible culprit for damaging the internal structure of a horse's hooves, which ultimately softens them and makes them susceptible to infection, sensitivity or cracking.
Horse's hooves may be more vulnerable to environmental damage during winter than at any other time of year, and this is mainly due to rain and mud drenched fields. The composition of hoof horn (that is, the wall and sole of a horse's foot) is much like one of our own fingernails, in that they are susceptible to softening when soaked for long periods. Being turned out into a boggy field or stabled on wet bedding softens the hoof and makes it more fragile and easier to damage.
This softening of the hoof horn is when a lot of problems tend to occur. Softer hooves are not as able to hold shoes on tight, which makes the horse more likely to throw a shoe - and usually part of the hoof goes with it. Soft soles tend to make the horse sensitive on hard ground or stony areas and can make punctures and abscesses much more likely.
While there is no practical way to prevent your horse's feet from being in wet or muddy situations, there are ways of stopping water from entering the horse's hoof and causing water damage. The application of a topical product such as a water-repelling hoof gel, will waterproof the entire capsule of the horse's hoof. A good product such as Keratex Hoof Gel will provide all the waterproofing your horse's hooves need, and you can see by running a hose over the hooves after application that the water will run off in droplets, working much like a duck's back or a wax jacket. This can be applied every two or three days as it bonds to the hoof to prevent water getting in, while still allowing it to 'breathe' and forming a strong barrier against environmental water such as puddles, rain, urine and mud. This will strengthen the hooves and give them a break from saturation, allowing them to recover from water damage and toughen up.
Mud Fever
One of winter's most common complaints is mud fever. Mud fever is caused when the skin on a horse's legs and heels softens in damp, typically muddy conditions, allowing bacteria called dermatophilus congolensis to invade. The horse will suffer from weeping scabs and sores, usually on the lower legs and heels, with some redness, cracking and swelling. Antibiotics are occasionally needed for this painful complaint.
To prevent mud fever if your horse is prone to it, or to treat mud fever, bring your horse in daily and wait for the mud to dry off naturally before carefully brushing it off, or wash the legs down with an antibacterial wash and carefully pat dry with a towel. Try and give the horse a break from the mud for a few hours every day or so if you do not stable overnight. Mud shield powder should be used to disinfect the legs and prevent mud and water from being able to cling to leg hairs. If there is excess feathering it may be worth trimming around the fetlocks to reduce the amount of mud that collects there. Scabs can be picked off very gently and sympathetically if they have dried out and turned darker or if they are gradually softened with an antibacterial soak (not scrubbed). Finally, when turning out a horse prone to mud fever, investing in a well-fitting set of turn out mud shield boots that do not leak or allow moisture in, may be worth considering.
Winter Hoof Care - Top Tips
Use a good hoof gel to combat water damage and subsequent softening
Trim excess hair around fetlocks to reduce chances of mud fever
Change stable bedding regularly, limit exposure to wet bedding
Have regular trims and/or shoeing to keep feet in good condition
Add supplements or an immune booster to your horse's feed